Adventurer Alenka Vrecek Inspires with Her New TWE Bookshelf Picks

With Spring and Summer months ahead, adventurer Alenka Vrecek is helping us get in the mood to travel with our new “Adventure is Calling Bookshelf.” TWE asked this She Rides author for her favorite book picks. Her suggestions are focused on getting us outdoors and having new experiences.

I love staying in motion. It makes me feel alive. I still dream big of someday riding my bike through the rest of the Americas. One never knows what life brings us.

Alenka Vrecek

Alenka, a cancer survivor, biked alone for 2,500 miles in a move for self-discovery and finding inspiration in the midst of personal and family challenges. So I also asked Alenka to share what she’s been doing since Stacey Gualandi’s podcast with her last year.

EYE: What have you been up to since Stacey’s chat with you?

ALENKA: In addition to working on another historical fiction novel and book presentations, these days I am enjoying my life with our four grandchildren, which not long ago, I didn’t think would be possible. My husband’s Parkinson’s is progressing, but we are staying active and ride bikes together and spend as much quality time in the outdoors. One of my new passions is wing foiling.

Even though it is extremely challenging for him, my resilient husband perseveres and is wing foiling as well. I love gliding on a hydrofoil across the water, down the waves, propelled by the wind.

I love staying in motion. It makes me feel alive. I still dream big of someday riding my bike through the rest of the Americas. One never knows what life brings us.

EYE: How does undertaking a challenging adventure change or have an impact on anyone?

ALENKA VRECEK: It does just by daring to take that important first step in the direction. That will propel us on the road of adventure; we will feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction. Inevitably we will enter the world of discomfort, physical as well as emotional, but, in the process we will heal in broken places and regain self worth and confidence. 

EYE: As a child, would you create your own adventures?

ALENKA: Constantly, either through reading books that made my imagination soar or through exploring nearby woods and riverbanks, and later by climbing mountains. We had a lot of unstructured, free time because both of our parents worked. We were expected to do our chores and our schoolwork, but after that was done, my brother and I ran wild. I am sometimes in awe we survived all the adventures.

EYE: What feedback have you gotten from She Rides that has surprised you, maybe even made a difference for you?

ALENKA: I get email, texts, Facebook messages daily from people from all walks of life, from all parts of the country and around the world. They tell me how much my book has inspired them, touched them, made them laugh and cry at the same time. Probably the biggest surprise for me is when my book inspires not just women, but men.

They come up to me in tears after my presentation and book reading. They tell me how certain parts of the book have touched them and reduced them to tears, or inspired them to follow their own dreams. When people can find a part of themselves in the book and relate, well, then I have done something right. 

EYE: Would you please give our readers some of your top choices for adventure books that we can get lost in?

ALENKA: Growing up in Slovenia I had two favorite genres: romance and adventure. If I really think about it, the two have a lot in common. Often adventures are dreamers and have a romantic view on life. I know I certainly do.

I read many books written by mountaineers. Here are a few that I like, not necessarily in that order and there are so many more I could list:

EYE: Thanks so much for these suggestions. I am ready to delve into all of them. Having recently seen the 29-year-old sailor, Cole Brauer, race solo around the world, is it fair to say that women of all ages are now gaining more respect and success as adventurers?

ALENKA: Yes and no. Why do I say that? Women have always had adventurous spirit. Yes, it was not expected and most often not allowed for women to go out into the world to explore. Yet they did throughout history.

Amelia Earhart for example, and nineteenth-century explorer Gertrude Bell, oh, and not to forget Derlva Murphy, who rode her bike from Ireland to India in 1963! They paved the road for so many brave women adventurers today.

EYE: In deciding on pursuing an adventure, what are the most important things to keep in mind?

ALENKA: Follow your dream, trust yourself, listen to your intuition, be creative, notice the small things, learn survival skills, laugh when it hurts, laugh when you are scared, laugh when you fail and then do it again. Most of all, enjoy the journey no matter the destination. 

EYE: Thanks so much for these suggestions! I am ready to delve in! What do you want readers to take away from not only your adventure, but adventuring in general?

ALENKA: When we adventure into the outdoors, our senses will sharpen; we will be more in tune with our surroundings; and in time, we will come closer to understanding what moves us. We will come closer to understanding our own nature.

We will regain confidence not just in ourselves, but in greater humanity, because we will experience the kindness of strangers along the way.

EYE: Thank you, Alenka, for your great suggestions, time and your inspiration. You make us all want to get our there in the world and enjoy it! Continued success with She Rides‼!

Social Media for Adventurer Alenka Vrecek:

Website: alenkavrecek.com

Instagram: @mother_len

Facebook: Alenka Vrecek

X/Twitter: AlenkaVrecek

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